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墨書 Inktalez
Qin Yaru was at a loss for words. Just as she was about to walk over to take a look, the main door swung open with a loud bang, and four men in official attire rushed in.
Upon seeing the black-clad man named Zhan Yu lying on the ground, the expressions of these men changed drastically. One of them glared at Bai Yunsheng and shouted, "It's you? You injured Zhan Commander?"
A hint of anger rose on Bai Yunsheng's face. He snorted coldly, dismissing the four men as if he couldn't be bothered to speak. He grabbed Qin Yaru's sleeve and turned to leave. "Since the officials are here, there's nothing more for us to do here. Consort Qin, Da Lang, I'll escort you back. The things you bought should be delivered to your doorstep by Lai San by now."
Qin Yaru thought for a moment, glanced back at the upper floor, and ultimately sighed softly. It was nothing. She took Da Lang's hand and followed Bai Yunsheng away.
The girl she had seen earlier, who had been abducted, was someone she recognized. The girl was named Meiyu and worked as a Lady-in-Waiting for the Luo Family in Kaifeng, just like her Third Sister, Qin Xiu. When she had come to County Horse Manor to visit her years ago, it was alongside Meiyu. Of course, Meiyu wouldn't recognize her now.
Seeing that Qin Yaru seemed distracted, Bai Yunsheng thought she was worried about the abducted girl. With a gentle smile, he reassured her, "Although Zhan Yu is a jerk, he is meticulous in his work. Since he found those girls, he will definitely take responsibility until the end and won't give up halfway. You can rest assured."
Qin Yaru was taken aback and smiled slightly. Bai Yunsheng's words made her genuinely worry about the fate of those girls.
In this era, a girl's dowry required a significant amount of money. For her own marriage, her father had nearly emptied half of their family fortune to prepare her dowry. Even when her elder brother married his bride, it didn't cost that much silver.
Most families would not even search for their daughters if they were abducted. Even if the girl was fortunate enough to escape back home after enduring great hardships, if her parents cared for her, it would be better; but if they didn't care and had a large household with other daughters, most would end up in places like a Nunnery—living a life of misery under dim lights and ancient Buddha statues.
Those saved by Official Authorities might be slightly luckier; if they encountered a good official, they would at least be given a way out—either arranged to become Ladies-in-Waiting or married off. Even if they didn't meet good families, it would still be a way to survive.
With so many thoughts racing through her mind, Qin Yaru lowered her head and gently patted her cheek—she had enough troubles of her own; how could she have the energy to pity others?
Bai Yunsheng personally drove the carriage all the way to escort Qin Yaru home. She didn't ask how he knew her new address; there was no need to guess—since Lai San knew it, how could he not?
Seeing this person casually talking to himself, taking various paths, it was evident he was extremely familiar with the route. Perhaps this residence was even personally chosen by him.
Before long, the carriage stopped. Qin Yaru had not yet pushed open the door when she heard a commotion outside. Bai Yunsheng frowned, his tone carrying a hint of displeasure: "It's that scoundrel again!"
Qin Yaru paused for a moment, instructed Da Lang not to move, and pushed the door open to get out. As soon as she stepped down, she saw Pang Yuanying standing in front of her house. He leaned against a tree, and upon seeing Qin Yaru, a smile appeared on his lips, his eyes also revealing a hint of joy.
However, when his gaze fell on Bai Yunsheng, his pupils instantly constricted. Seeing Bai Yunsheng kindly extend his hand to support Qin Yaru's arm and gently help her down from the carriage, a heavy gloom flashed in his eyes.
"Big Brother!"
Lai San had a distressed look, sneaking from the entrance to Bai Yunsheng's side. He turned to glance at Pang Yuanying and whispered, "That person had someone throw away all the items Consort Qin bought. I... I can't take them on."
He showed some shame and anger on his face. Although there were no visible injuries, Bai Yunsheng could tell from Lai San's expression that he must have suffered a significant loss. Feeling angry in his heart, he coldly laughed: "The Marquis is quite impressive, resorting to robbery over items that wouldn't even cost a few taels of silver. If Pang Lao knew you were so accomplished, he would surely feel very comforted."
Pang Yuanying ignored Bai Yunsheng's veiled remarks. With a flick of his sleeve, he walked up to Qin Yaru and smiled warmly: "Consort Qin is such an unparalleled beauty; those crude items are unworthy of you. This Marquis specially selected fine goods for you from Yibao Studio in the capital. Take a look; do you like them? If not, I can also find you something made within the palace."
Qin Yaru casually glanced and saw more than ten large boxes placed in front of the door. The lids were open, revealing a dazzling array of treasures inside. She quickly spotted two complete red coral bonsais, a pair of jade ruyi ornaments, and exquisite flower crowns in intricately crafted makeup boxes adorned with clusters of pearls the size of thumb tips. There were also numerous other large decorative items filling up the space in front of the courtyard gate.
The total value of these items could easily reach thousands of gold.
Spending lavishly just to earn a smile from a beauty; yet the young man before her was not some unattractive fellow. On the contrary, he was extraordinarily handsome and refined in demeanor, with a gentle smile—like an ice prince. Meeting such a man would likely cause anyone to pour out their affection for him.
Qin Yaru sighed. If this had been their former teammate Yichun Min, that infatuated girl would have already fallen at the feet of such a handsome man. However, having lived two lives and possessing a steady character—even Gao Feng, such an exceptionally good man who had pursued her for over ten years—she still wouldn't easily relent. Now this person dazzled with brilliance; it was as if 'trouble' was written on his left cheek and 'disaster' on his right. How could she dare provoke him?
Taking a deep breath, Qin Yaru quietly lowered her head and said politely, "Thank you for your concern, Marquis. I am just a farmer's wife, and if these things were really in my home, I would be afraid to sleep at night. Moreover, this place is merely a rented temporary residence. Once my old house is rebuilt, I will have to move back, so there is no need for you to worry, Marquis."
"Oh?" Pang Yuanying was not angered by the rejection. With graceful demeanor, he stepped closer to Qin Yaru. If Bai Yunsheng had not been nearby, he might have moved even closer. Slightly bending forward, he smiled and said, "But this Marquis has already damaged Consort Qin's belongings; how can I not compensate?"
Qin Yaru lowered her brows, having guessed about Pang Yuanying's intentions. After all, she had lived in County Horse Manor for many years. Although she was almost under house arrest, she was not completely cut off from the lives of those noble people. She understood a bit about how they courted women.
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